Eating an easy, comfortable meal after so much luxurious holiday foods is good for both body and soul. As I was growing up in Scotland, shepherd’s pie was a weekly family meal, often extended with leftovers. Mince (ground meat) was a staple in Scottish households and it could be stretched in many different ways, including adding leftover cooked vegetables, beans and oatmeal. I still love a good shepherd’s pie, although the simple and traditional carrot, onions and ground meat filling has morphed into something a little more interesting.

FEATURED RECIPE

These vegetarian dumplings are based on the ones at Mission Chinese restaurant in New York City. The recipe has been adapted by Olivia Simpson, who worked at Mission Chinese, and Donna Borooah for the home kitchen. Check out the video at the bottom of the page to see our technique for crimping dumplings. For a real flavour boost, use rehydrated…